Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 27 January (WA 176) concerning the document Ministerial Decision-Making: Interim Procedures, whether the practice of not consulting advisers about decisions for cross-border bodies means that there is no Unionist input; and, if so, whether this is consistent with the spirit of the Belfast agreement of 1998.

Baroness Amos: The information requested is not available centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: As the Government have outlined in this year's Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report (HC 372 para. 7.52), it is progressing its plans for a lorry road user charge (LRUC), accompanied by offsetting tax cuts, due to be phased in from 2007–08.
	Since announcing plans for LRUC in the 2001 Pre-Budget Report (Cm 5318), the Government have completed an initial public consultation and worked closely with the haulage industry in developing its requirements. In particular the Government have taken into account developments in other countries in Europe, including Austria, Germany and Switzerland. It has been supported by advisers and industry experts in road-charging initiatives around the world. The Government have published regular progress reports, in April 2002, April 2003 and March 2004, setting out, in detail, how plans are being developed, as well as a procurement prospectus in May 2004 and a discussion paper in January 2005. Copies of these documents are available in the Library of the House, and from the HM Customs and Excise website.
	The LRUC programme is now well into its procurement phase, and Customs have now started detailed discussions about their requirements with short listed bidders. In line with good practice guidance for government procurement projects, these requirements do not specify particular technologies, which will be selected from the best value-for-money solutions offered by bidders. The requirement for distance-measuring equipment does not include location tracking.
	Progress report three set out the requirement for public sector resources and a range of operational activities, including assurance, enforcement, communications and marketing, which Customs would incorporate with their other operational responsibilities or within an LRUC management authority. Customs are continuing to work on estimates for the costs and resource requirements for LRUC. Much will also depend on the technical solutions proposed by bidders, which will only become clear following commercial negotiations. Final decisions have yet to be taken. To speculate at this stage in the procurement would prejudice the Government's commercial interests in this process.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: LRUC will apply to all lorry operators regardless of their nationality and therefore enable the Government to charge foreign lorry operators using UK roads for the first time. It will be offset by a reduction in fuel duty, available on duty-paid fuel purchased in the UK and used in any lorry that falls within the scope of LRUC. In this way, lorries of all nationalities driving in the UK will pay their fair share in LRUC charges.
	The Government have stated that the total tax paid by the UK industry will not rise as a result of introducing LRUC and its offsetting tax cut. As was made clear in response to the noble Earl on 1 March (Official Report, Col. GC 88), when LRUC is in place, the Government will also be able, for the first time, to take decisions about taxation levels which affect the haulage industry separately from the decisions they take about general motoring taxes, on a Budget-by-Budget basis.
	Two methods of delivering the fuel duty reduction have been identified: a new chemically marked fuel that would be sold at a discounted rate to haulage operators, or a repayment scheme whereby operators declare how much fuel they have used in each chargeable vehicle. In progress report three, following consultation with the oils and haulage industries, the Government identified a repayment scheme as the lead option. Provided that adequate fraud mitigation measures can be put in place, there will be no need for the fuel to be a different colour.

Lord Whitty: The Energy Saving Trust (EST) was established by the Government in 1992, after the Rio Earth Summit. It is a private, non-profit organisation grant-funded by Defra to support its household energy efficiency activities. These activities are aimed at increasing demand for energy efficiency through raising awareness, providing advice and support for action. They also support the supply of energy efficiency products and services to meet this demand by developing partnerships, stimulating innovation, supporting training and providing accreditation.
	The Carbon Trust (CT) was launched in April 2001, as part of the climate change levy package, to take the lead in improving business and public sector energy efficiency and support the development of a low carbon economy in the UK. The CT is also a private non-profit organisation, receiving grant funding from Defra to support its activities.
	The EST currently receives grant funding from Defra of about £25 million per annum for its energy efficiency work. CT currently receives grant funding from Defra of about £44 million per annum. Both trusts also have a range of other financial arrangements with devolved administrations and other government departments.
	The trusts' remits and activities do not overlap. The CT has a focus towards industry and innovation, while the EST focuses on household energy use. These sectors have different needs and require different approaches. The trusts work closely and effectively together on some areas where they have shared or interacting interests, for example in the public sector and at different stages of the market transformation and innovation process.

Lord Davies of Oldham: There are no guidelines restricting transport managers to a maximum client base of five small vehicle operators. The legislation requires that a Transport Manager must have "continuous and effective responsibility for the management of the transport operations of the business". There is nothing to prevent a person acting as transport manager for more than one operator but the traffic commissioner will need to be satisfied that in each case the manager is able to exercise "continuous and effective responsibility".
	The financial standing requirement for holders of standard national and international goods operator licences is prescribed by European Directive 96/26/EC (as amended). The directive specifies an amount of €9,000 for one vehicle and €5,000 for each additional vehicle. For member states which have not adopted the euro, provision is made for these limits to be revalued into national currencies at five-yearly intervals. The current sterling equivalents based on the rate of exchange on 1 October 2004 are £6,200 and £3,400 respectively.